The prestigious Shine International Student Awards have just been launched for 2010. Organised by the British Council, the awards give recognition to international students who are actively participating in University and community life, with the chance to win up to £2,000 in prize money.

The awards are not focused on academic achievements, but give proactive students the chance to earn some public recognition for their achievements outside the classroom; whether they are involved in volunteering, teaching, sporting groups, or other community based work. To enter students write a ‘letter home’, as if to a relative, friend or a former teacher or mentor, outlining their experiences of student life in the UK.

One of last year’s regional winners was Tieqiang Li who is studying at Durham, he had this to say about the competition, “I’d recommend any international students at Durham to enter the competition, it was an incredible experience and has opened up some fantastic opportunities for me. It’s also really straightforward to enter, you just have to write a letter about your experiences, as if writing home to a family member. It’s a very special competition and I’ve really pleased to have been a part of it.”

Twelve regional finalists will compete for the title International Student of the Year 2010 at a glittering awards’ ceremony in London in April next year. Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: “The competition gives students an enjoyable opportunity to gain public recognition for their achievements and the chance to win some great prizes. We deliberately focus on non academic achievements which gives international students the chance to highlight their wider experiences.”

Now in its eighth year the competition attracts huge interest and since its launch in 2002, over 13,000 students have entered.